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8-K - 8-K - FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP /OH/ffbc-20210422.htm
EX-99.2 - EX-99.2 - FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP /OH/exh992earningsrelease1q2.htm

                                                Exhibit 99.1
yellowbara121.jpgbancorplogoa041.jpg                                        
First Financial Bancorp Announces First Quarter 2021 Financial Results

Earnings per diluted share of $0.48; $0.50 on an adjusted(1) basis
Return on average assets of 1.20%; 1.24% as adjusted(1)
Net interest margin FTE(1) of 3.40%
Provision for credit losses of $4.0 million; $7.5 million decline from linked quarter
Repurchased 840,115 shares during the quarter

Cincinnati, Ohio - April 22, 2021 First Financial Bancorp. (Nasdaq: FFBC) (“First Financial” or the “Company”) announced financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2021.

For the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company reported net income of $47.3 million, or $0.48 per diluted common share. These results compare to net income of $48.3 million, or $0.49 per diluted common share, for the fourth quarter of 2020 and $28.6 million, or $0.29 per diluted common share, for the first quarter of 2020.

Return on average assets for the first quarter of 2021 was 1.20% while return on average tangible common equity was 15.24%. These compare to returns on average assets of 1.20% and 0.79%, and returns on average tangible common equity of 15.50% and 9.71%, in the fourth quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2020, respectively.

First quarter 2021 highlights include:

After adjustments(1) for certain nonrecurring items:
Net income of $0.50 per diluted common share
1.24% return on average assets
15.80% return on average tangible common equity

Net interest margin of 3.40% on a fully tax-equivalent basis(1) in line with expectations
9 basis point reduction from linked quarter driven by fewer fees related to loan prepayments, and lower volume of PPP forgiveness

Noninterest income of $40.3 million, or $40.2 million as adjusted(1)
Foreign exchange income of $10.8 million remains strong despite decline from record fourth quarter
Mortgage income of $9.5 million in line with expectations given expected seasonal declines and lower premiums

Noninterest expenses of $92.5 million, or $90.0 million as adjusted(1)
Adjustments(1) include:
$1.3 million of severance related costs
$1.3 million of other nonrecurring costs such as branch consolidation costs
Efficiency ratio of 60.0%; 58.4% as adjusted(1)

Excluding PPP growth, loan balances declined slightly during the quarter driven primarily by a decline in consumer and mortgage loans

Average transactional deposit balances grew $523.7 million compared to the linked quarter; 21.1% on an annualized basis

______________________________________________________________________________________
(1) Financial information in this release that is described as “adjusted” or that is presented on a fully tax equivalent basis is non-GAAP. For details on the calculation of these non-GAAP financial measures and a reconciliation to the GAAP financial measure, see the sections titled “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” in this release and “Appendix: Non-GAAP to GAAP Reconciliation” in the accompanying slide presentation.
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Total Allowance for Credit Losses of $183.0 million; Total quarterly provision for credit losses of $4.0 million
Loans and leases - ACL of $169.9 million, 1.71% of total loans; 1.84% of loans excluding PPP
Unfunded Commitments - ACL of $13.0 million
First quarter provision expense driven by net charge-offs, partially offset by improvements in economic conditions

Strong capital ratios
Total capital of 15.41%
Tier 1 common equity of 11.81%
Tangible common equity of 8.22%; 8.62% excluding PPP loans
Tangible book value per share of $12.78; $0.15 decrease compared to linked quarter
Repurchased 840,115 shares during first quarter

Archie Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer, remarked, “While uncertainty remains due to the ongoing pandemic, the accelerated COVID-19 vaccine distribution, unprecedented fiscal stimulus, and an accommodative Federal Reserve have led to widespread optimism for our economy, which is in stark contrast to our sentiment at this time last year. Our first quarter operating performance reflects this change in sentiment and we have renewed optimism as a result of the improved business climate, despite an operating environment that presents challenges due to very low interest rates and muted loan demand.

Mr. Brown continued, “Our first quarter financial results once again reflect our earnings power and our consistent ability to deliver value to our shareholders. Our core quarterly financial metrics remained strong with adjusted(1) earnings per share of $0.50, adjusted(1) return on assets of 1.24%, and an adjusted(1) efficiency ratio of 58.4%. Net income was bolstered by lower expenses and significantly lower credit costs. Despite expected seasonal declines, noninterest income was strong due to healthy mortgage demand, robust foreign exchange activity and higher wealth management fees. In addition, adjusted(1) noninterest expenses declined $4.6 million from the linked quarter and resulted in a sub-60% efficiency ratio. As I mentioned, credit costs were low with $4.0 million of provision expense during the quarter, and resulted in an allowance for credit losses of 1.84% of total loans, excluding PPP. Classified assets increased during the quarter, however our overall credit outlook has improved significantly and our borrowers are seeing benefits from the various stimulus actions. While first quarter net charge-offs increased slightly from previous quarters, this was driven by a single customer relationship. Given our overall credit outlook, we expect the allowance for credit losses to continue to decline over the course of 2021.”

Mr. Brown commented on balance sheet trends and capital utilization, “Excluding PPP activity, loan balances declined slightly for the quarter due to accelerated mortgage and HELOC payoffs, increased borrower liquidity, and muted business loan demand. As a result of these trends, we anticipate slower growth in the near-term, with some acceleration in the second half of the year. As of March 31, consumers and businesses were holding record levels of deposits, with average balances increasing during the quarter as a result of the stimulus package approved by Congress last December. We anticipate further deposit balance growth in the second quarter after the passage of the most recent stimulus bill. This anticipated growth will likely suppress loan demand and service charge income in the near-term. From a capital standpoint, our ratios remained strong through the first quarter. The combination of our current capital levels and our improved credit outlook, prompted us to repurchase 840,115 shares during the quarter. Absent higher priority capital deployment alternatives, we anticipate additional buyback activity in the second quarter.”

Mr. Brown concluded, “We are pleased with our improved performance and outlook from this time last year. We have started to transition associates back into their physical office locations, and we look forward to implementing the lessons learned over the past year to create an efficient, safe, and collaborative workplace. As our local and national economies continue to improve, we believe we are well positioned to deliver industry leading services to our clients and returns to our shareholders.”

Full detail of the Company’s first quarter 2021 performance is provided in the accompanying financial statements and slide presentation.


Teleconference / Webcast Information
First Financial’s executive management will host a conference call to discuss the Company’s financial and operating results on Friday, April 23, 2021 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Members of the public who would like to listen to the conference call should dial (877) 506-6873 (U.S. toll free), (855) 669-9657 (Canada toll free) or +1 (412) 380-2003 (International) (no passcode required). The number should be dialed five to ten minutes prior to the start of the conference call. The conference call will also be accessible as an audio webcast via the Investor Relations section
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of the Company’s website at www.bankatfirst.com. A replay of the conference call will be available beginning one hour after the completion of the live call at (877) 344-7529 (U.S. toll free), (855) 669-9658 (Canada toll free) and +1 (412) 317-0088 (International); conference number 10154329. The webcast will be archived on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website for 12 months.

Press Release and Additional Information on Website
This press release as well as supplemental information are available to the public through the Investor Relations section of First Financial's website at www.bankatfirst.com.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This earnings release contains GAAP financial measures and Non-GAAP financial measures where management believes it to be helpful in understanding the Company’s results of operations or financial position. Where Non-GAAP financial measures are used, the comparable GAAP financial measures, as well as a reconciliation to the comparable GAAP financial measure, can be found in the section titled “Appendix: Non-GAAP to GAAP Reconciliation” in the accompanying slide presentation.



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Forward-Looking Statement

Certain statements contained in this report which are not statements of historical fact constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Words such as ‘‘believes,’’ ‘‘anticipates,’’ “likely,” “expected,” “estimated,” ‘‘intends’’ and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements.  Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements we make about (i) our future operating or financial performance, including revenues, income or loss and earnings or loss per share, (ii) future common stock dividends, (iii) our capital structure, including future capital levels, (iv) our plans, objectives and strategies, and (v) the assumptions that underlie our forward-looking statements.

As with any forecast or projection, forward-looking statements are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.  Forward-looking statements are not historical facts but instead express only management’s beliefs regarding future results or events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of management’s control. It is possible that actual results and outcomes may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results or outcomes indicated in these forward-looking statements.  Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in our forward-looking statements include the following, without limitation:

economic, market, liquidity, credit, interest rate, operational and technological risks associated with the Company’s business;
future credit quality and performance, including our expectations regarding future loan losses and our allowance for credit losses
the effect of and changes in policies and laws or regulatory agencies, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and other legislation and regulation relating to the banking industry;
Management’s ability to effectively execute its business plans;
mergers and acquisitions, including costs or difficulties related to the integration of acquired companies;
the possibility that any of the anticipated benefits of the Company’s acquisitions will not be realized or will not be realized within the expected time period;
the effect of changes in accounting policies and practices;
changes in consumer spending, borrowing and saving and changes in unemployment;
changes in customers’ performance and creditworthiness;
the costs and effects of litigation and of unexpected or adverse outcomes in such litigation;  
current and future economic and market conditions, including the effects of declines in housing prices, high unemployment rates, U.S. fiscal debt, budget and tax matters, geopolitical matters, and any slowdown in global economic growth;
the adverse impact on the U.S. economy, including the markets in which we operate, of the novel coronavirus, which causes the Coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”), global pandemic, and the impact of a slowing U.S. economy and increased unemployment on the performance of our loan and lease portfolio, the market value of our investment securities, the availability of sources of funding and the demand for our products;
our capital and liquidity requirements (including under regulatory capital standards, such as the Basel III capital standards) and our ability to generate capital internally or raise capital on favorable terms;
financial services reform and other current, pending or future legislation or regulation that could have a negative effect on our revenue and businesses, including the Dodd-Frank Act and other legislation and regulation relating to bank products and services;
the effect of the current interest rate environment or changes in interest rates or in the level or composition of our assets or liabilities on our net interest income, net interest margin and our mortgage originations, mortgage servicing rights and mortgage loans held for sale;
the effect of a fall in stock market prices on our brokerage, asset and wealth management businesses;
a failure in or breach of our operational or security systems or infrastructure, or those of our third-party vendors or other service providers, including as a result of cyber attacks;
the effect of changes in the level of checking or savings account deposits on our funding costs and net interest margin; and
our ability to develop and execute effective business plans and strategies.

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Additional factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those described in our forward-looking statements can be found in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, as well as our other filings with the SEC, which are available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov

All forward-looking statements included in this filing are made as of the date hereof and are based on information available at the time of the filing.  Except as required by law, the Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

About First Financial Bancorp.
First Financial Bancorp. is a Cincinnati, Ohio based bank holding company. As of March 31, 2021, the Company had $16.2 billion in assets, $9.9 billion in loans, $12.6 billion in deposits and $2.3 billion in shareholders’ equity. The Company’s subsidiary, First Financial Bank, founded in 1863, provides banking and financial services products through its six lines of business: Commercial, Retail Banking, Investment Commercial Real Estate, Mortgage Banking, Commercial Finance and Wealth Management. These business units provide traditional banking services to business and retail clients. Wealth Management provides wealth planning, portfolio management, trust and estate, brokerage and retirement plan services and had approximately $3.1 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2021. The Company operated 143 full service banking centers as of March 31, 2021, primarily in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois, while the Commercial Finance business lends into targeted industry verticals on a nationwide basis. Additional information about the Company, including its products, services and banking locations, is available at www.bankatfirst.com.


Contact Information
Investors/Analysts                    Media
Jamie Anderson                        Tim Condron
Chief Financial Officer                    Marketing Communications Manager
(513) 887-5400                        (513) 979-5796
InvestorRelations@bankatfirst.com            media@bankatfirst.com    
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Selected Financial Information
March 31, 2021
(unaudited)

ContentsPage
Consolidated Financial Highlights2
Consolidated Quarterly Statements of Income3
Consolidated Statements of Condition4
Average Consolidated Statements of Condition5
Net Interest Margin Rate / Volume Analysis6
Credit Quality7
Capital Adequacy8




    
FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP.
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended,
Mar. 31,Dec. 31,Sep. 30,June 30,Mar. 31,
20212020202020202020
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Net income$47,315 $48,312 $41,477 $37,393 $28,628 
Net earnings per share - basic$0.49 $0.50 $0.43 $0.38 $0.29 
Net earnings per share - diluted$0.48 $0.49 $0.42 $0.38 $0.29 
Dividends declared per share$0.23 $0.23 $0.23 $0.23 $0.23 
KEY FINANCIAL RATIOS
Return on average assets1.20 %1.20 %1.04 %0.96 %0.79 %
Return on average shareholders' equity8.44 %8.52 %7.40 %6.88 %5.21 %
Return on average tangible shareholders' equity15.24 %15.50 %13.61 %12.90 %9.71 %
Net interest margin3.35 %3.45 %3.32 %3.38 %3.71 %
Net interest margin (fully tax equivalent) (1)
3.40 %3.49 %3.36 %3.44 %3.77 %
Ending shareholders' equity as a percent of ending assets13.97 %14.29 %14.11 %13.99 %14.47 %
Ending tangible shareholders' equity as a percent of:
Ending tangible assets8.22 %8.47 %8.25 %8.09 %8.25 %
Risk-weighted assets11.02 %11.29 %11.07 %10.89 %10.50 %
Average shareholders' equity as a percent of average assets14.17 %14.07 %14.08 %13.91 %15.21 %
Average tangible shareholders' equity as a percent of
    average tangible assets8.38 %8.26 %8.18 %7.94 %8.79 %
Book value per share$23.16 $23.28 $22.94 $22.66 $22.25 
Tangible book value per share$12.78 $12.93 $12.56 $12.26 $11.82 
Common equity tier 1 ratio (2)
11.81 %11.82 %11.63 %11.49 %11.27 %
Tier 1 ratio (2)
12.19 %12.20 %12.02 %11.87 %11.66 %
Total capital ratio (2)
15.41 %15.55 %15.37 %15.19 %13.54 %
Leverage ratio (2)
9.34 %9.55 %9.55 %8.98 %9.49 %
AVERAGE BALANCE SHEET ITEMS
Loans (3)
$9,951,855 $10,127,881 $10,253,392 $10,002,379 $9,220,643 
Investment securities3,782,993 3,403,839 3,162,832 3,164,243 3,115,723 
Interest-bearing deposits with other banks46,912 143,884 40,277 91,990 39,332 
  Total earning assets$13,781,760 $13,675,604 $13,456,501 $13,258,612 $12,375,698 
Total assets$16,042,654 $16,030,986 $15,842,010 $15,710,204 $14,524,422 
Noninterest-bearing deposits$3,840,046 $3,720,417 $3,535,432 $3,335,866 $2,643,240 
Interest-bearing deposits8,531,822 8,204,306 8,027,082 8,395,229 7,590,791 
  Total deposits$12,371,868 $11,924,723 $11,562,514 $11,731,095 $10,234,031 
Borrowings$886,379 $1,307,461 $1,519,748 $1,272,819 $1,735,767 
Shareholders' equity$2,272,749 $2,256,062 $2,230,422 $2,185,865 $2,209,733 
CREDIT QUALITY RATIOS
Allowance to ending loans1.71 %1.77 %1.65 %1.56 %1.55 %
Allowance to nonaccrual loans199.33 %217.55 %216.28 %233.74 %296.51 %
Allowance to nonperforming loans175.44 %199.97 %196.69 %208.06 %203.42 %
Nonperforming loans to total loans0.97 %0.89 %0.84 %0.75 %0.76 %
Nonperforming assets to ending loans, plus OREO0.98 %0.90 %0.86 %0.77 %0.78 %
Nonperforming assets to total assets0.60 %0.56 %0.55 %0.49 %0.48 %
Classified assets to total assets1.22 %0.89 %0.84 %0.79 %0.83 %
Net charge-offs to average loans (annualized)0.38 %0.26 %0.21 %0.12 %(0.04)%

(1) The tax equivalent adjustment to net interest income recognizes the income tax savings when comparing taxable and tax-exempt assets and assumes a 21% tax rate. Management believes that it is a standard practice in the banking industry to present net interest margin and net interest income on a fully tax equivalent basis. Therefore, management believes these measures provide useful information to investors by allowing them to make peer comparisons. Management also uses these measures to make peer comparisons.
(2) March 31, 2021 regulatory capital ratios are preliminary.
(3) Includes loans held for sale.
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FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP.
CONSOLIDATED QUARTERLY STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)
20212020
FirstFourthThirdSecondFirstFull
QuarterQuarterQuarterQuarterQuarterYear
Interest income
  Loans and leases, including fees$98,931 $106,733 $103,249 $105,900 $115,775 $431,657 
  Investment securities
     Taxable18,607 18,402 17,906 18,476 19,005 73,789 
     Tax-exempt5,043 4,839 4,884 4,937 4,582 19,242 
        Total investment securities interest23,650 23,241 22,790 23,413 23,587 93,031 
  Other earning assets28 55 31 47 142 275 
       Total interest income122,609 130,029 126,070 129,360 139,504 524,963 
Interest expense
  Deposits4,333 5,920 7,886 11,751 16,365 41,922 
  Short-term borrowings67 30 51 1,274 5,087 6,442 
  Long-term borrowings4,333 5,606 5,953 4,759 3,770 20,088 
      Total interest expense8,733 11,556 13,890 17,784 25,222 68,452 
      Net interest income113,876 118,473 112,180 111,576 114,282 456,511 
  Provision for credit losses-loans and leases 3,450 13,758 15,299 17,859 23,880 70,796 
  Provision for credit losses-unfunded commitments 538 (2,250)(1,925)2,370 1,568 (237)
      Net interest income after provision for credit losses109,888 106,965 98,806 91,347 88,834 385,952 
Noninterest income
  Service charges on deposit accounts7,146 7,654 7,356 6,001 8,435 29,446 
  Trust and wealth management fees4,398 4,093 3,855 4,114 4,469 16,531 
  Bankcard income3,128 3,060 3,124 2,844 2,698 11,726 
  Client derivative fees1,556 2,021 2,203 2,984 3,105 10,313 
  Foreign exchange income10,757 12,305 10,530 6,576 9,966 39,377 
  Net gains from sales of loans9,454 13,089 18,594 16,662 2,831 51,176 
  Net gains (losses) on sale of investment securities(166)4,618 (59)4,563 
  Unrealized gain (loss) on equity securities112 8,975 18 150 (98)9,045 
  Other3,937 5,700 3,817 3,392 4,037 16,946 
      Total noninterest income40,322 61,515 49,499 42,725 35,384 189,123 
Noninterest expenses
  Salaries and employee benefits61,253 62,263 63,769 55,925 54,822 236,779 
  Net occupancy5,704 6,159 5,625 5,378 6,104 23,266 
  Furniture and equipment3,969 3,596 3,638 3,681 4,053 14,968 
  Data processing7,287 7,269 6,837 7,019 6,389 27,514 
  Marketing1,361 1,999 1,856 1,339 1,220 6,414 
  Communication838 840 855 907 890 3,492 
  Professional services1,450 3,038 2,443 2,205 2,275 9,961 
  Debt extinguishment7,257 7,257 
  State intangible tax1,202 1,514 1,514 1,514 1,516 6,058 
  FDIC assessments1,349 1,065 1,350 1,290 1,405 5,110 
  Intangible amortization 2,479 2,764 2,779 2,791 2,792 11,126 
  Other5,614 17,034 6,845 6,640 8,200 38,719 
      Total noninterest expenses92,506 114,798 97,511 88,689 89,666 390,664 
Income before income taxes57,704 53,682 50,794 45,383 34,552 184,411 
Income tax expense (benefit)10,389 5,370 9,317 7,990 5,924 28,601 
      Net income$47,315 $48,312 $41,477 $37,393 $28,628 $155,810 
ADDITIONAL DATA
Net earnings per share - basic$0.49 $0.50 $0.43 $0.38 $0.29 $1.60 
Net earnings per share - diluted$0.48 $0.49 $0.42 $0.38 $0.29 $1.59 
Dividends declared per share$0.23 $0.23 $0.23 $0.23 $0.23 $0.92 
Return on average assets1.20 %1.20 %1.04 %0.96 %0.79 %1.00 %
Return on average shareholders' equity8.44 %8.52 %7.40 %6.88 %5.21 %7.02 %
Interest income$122,609 $130,029 $126,070 $129,360 $139,504 $524,963 
Tax equivalent adjustment1,652 1,613 1,628 1,664 1,624 6,529 
   Interest income - tax equivalent124,261 131,642 127,698 131,024 141,128 531,492 
Interest expense8,733 11,556 13,890 17,784 25,222 68,452 
   Net interest income - tax equivalent$115,528 $120,086 $113,808 $113,240 $115,906 $463,040 
Net interest margin3.35 %3.45 %3.32 %3.38 %3.71 %3.46 %
Net interest margin (fully tax equivalent) (1)
3.40 %3.49 %3.36 %3.44 %3.77 %3.51 %
Full-time equivalent employees2,063 2,075 2,065 2,076 2,067 
(1) The tax equivalent adjustment to net interest income recognizes the income tax savings when comparing taxable and tax-exempt assets and assumes a 21% tax rate. Management believes that it is a standard practice in the banking industry to present net interest income on a fully tax equivalent basis. Therefore, management believes these measures provide useful information to investors by allowing them to make peer comparisons. Management also uses these measures to make peer comparisons.
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FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CONDITION
(Dollars in thousands)
(Unaudited)
Mar. 31,Dec. 31,Sep. 30,June 30,Mar. 31,% Change% Change
20212020202020202020Linked Qtr.Comp Qtr.
ASSETS
     Cash and due from banks$210,191 $231,054 $207,128 $283,639 $261,892 (9.0)%(19.7)%
     Interest-bearing deposits with other banks19,180 20,305 38,806 38,845 71,071 (5.5)%(73.0)%
     Investment securities available-for-sale3,753,763 3,424,580 3,004,963 2,897,413 2,908,688 9.6 %29.1 %
     Investment securities held-to-maturity121,945 131,687 118,072 127,347 136,744 (7.4)%(10.8)%
     Other investments131,814 133,198 118,292 132,366 143,581 (1.0)%(8.2)%
     Loans held for sale34,590 41,103 69,008 43,950 27,334 (15.8)%26.5 %
     Loans and leases
       Commercial and industrial3,044,825 3,007,509 3,292,313 3,322,374 2,477,773 1.2 %22.9 %
       Lease financing66,574 72,987 74,742 80,087 82,602 (8.8)%(19.4)%
       Construction real estate642,709 636,096 575,648 506,085 500,311 1.0 %28.5 %
       Commercial real estate4,396,582 4,307,858 4,347,125 4,343,702 4,278,257 2.1 %2.8 %
       Residential real estate946,522 1,003,086 1,027,702 1,043,745 1,061,792 (5.6)%(10.9)%
       Home equity709,667 743,099 754,743 764,171 781,243 (4.5)%(9.2)%
       Installment82,421 81,850 84,629 79,150 80,085 0.7 %2.9 %
       Credit card44,669 48,485 43,907 42,397 45,756 (7.9)%(2.4)%
          Total loans9,933,969 9,900,970 10,200,809 10,181,711 9,307,819 0.3 %6.7 %
       Less:
          Allowance for credit losses 169,923 175,679 168,544 158,661 143,885 (3.3)%18.1 %
                Net loans 9,764,046 9,725,291 10,032,265 10,023,050 9,163,934 0.4 %6.5 %
     Premises and equipment204,537 207,211 209,474 211,164 212,787 (1.3)%(3.9)%
     Goodwill 937,771 937,771 937,771 937,771 937,771 0.0 %0.0 %
     Other intangibles61,984 64,552 67,419 70,325 73,258 (4.0)%(15.4)%
     Accrued interest and other assets935,250 1,056,382 1,122,449 1,105,020 1,120,507 (11.5)%(16.5)%
       Total Assets$16,175,071 $15,973,134 $15,925,647 $15,870,890 $15,057,567 1.3 %7.4 %
LIABILITIES
     Deposits
       Interest-bearing demand$2,914,761 $2,914,787 $2,632,467 $2,657,841 $2,498,109 0.0 %16.7 %
       Savings4,006,181 3,680,774 3,446,678 3,287,314 2,978,250 8.8 %34.5 %
       Time1,731,757 1,872,733 1,935,392 2,241,212 2,435,858 (7.5)%(28.9)%
          Total interest-bearing deposits8,652,699 8,468,294 8,014,537 8,186,367 7,912,217 2.2 %9.4 %
       Noninterest-bearing3,995,370 3,763,709 3,552,893 3,515,048 2,723,341 6.2 %46.7 %
          Total deposits12,648,069 12,232,003 11,567,430 11,701,415 10,635,558 3.4 %18.9 %
     Federal funds purchased and securities sold
         under agreements to repurchase181,387 166,594 247,658 154,347 215,824 8.9 %(16.0)%
     FHLB short-term borrowings1,181,900 0.0 %(100.0)%
          Total short-term borrowings181,387 166,594 247,658 154,347 1,397,724 8.9 %(87.0)%
     Long-term debt583,722 776,202 1,341,164 1,285,767 325,566 (24.8)%79.3 %
          Total borrowed funds765,109 942,796 1,588,822 1,440,114 1,723,290 (18.8)%(55.6)%
     Accrued interest and other liabilities502,951 516,265 521,580 508,342 519,336 (2.6)%(3.2)%
       Total Liabilities13,916,129 13,691,064 13,677,832 13,649,871 12,878,184 1.6 %8.1 %
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
     Common stock1,633,137 1,638,947 1,637,489 1,635,070 1,633,950 (0.4)%0.0 %
     Retained earnings745,220 720,429 694,484 675,532 660,653 3.4 %12.8 %
     Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)18,101 48,664 42,266 36,431 11,788 (62.8)%53.6 %
     Treasury stock, at cost(137,516)(125,970)(126,424)(126,014)(127,008)9.2 %8.3 %
       Total Shareholders' Equity2,258,942 2,282,070 2,247,815 2,221,019 2,179,383 (1.0)%3.7 %
       Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity$16,175,071 $15,973,134 $15,925,647 $15,870,890 $15,057,567 1.3 %7.4 %

4


FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP.
AVERAGE CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CONDITION
(Dollars in thousands)
(Unaudited)
Quarterly Averages
Mar. 31,Dec. 31,Sep. 30,June 30,Mar. 31,
20212020202020202020
ASSETS
     Cash and due from banks$232,275 $228,427 $233,216 $284,726 $235,696 
     Interest-bearing deposits with other banks46,912 143,884 40,277 91,990 39,332 
     Investment securities3,782,993 3,403,839 3,162,832 3,164,243 3,115,723 
     Loans held for sale29,689 42,402 45,186 36,592 13,174 
     Loans and leases
       Commercial and industrial3,029,716 3,182,749 3,299,259 3,058,677 2,450,893 
       Lease financing70,508 74,107 78,500 81,218 85,782 
       Construction real estate647,655 608,401 536,870 495,407 501,471 
       Commercial real estate4,339,349 4,313,408 4,364,708 4,381,647 4,209,345 
       Residential real estate980,718 1,022,701 1,041,250 1,052,996 1,055,456 
       Home equity726,134 752,425 759,994 772,424 773,082 
       Installment81,377 83,509 82,016 79,016 81,234 
       Credit card46,709 48,179 45,609 44,402 50,206 
          Total loans9,922,166 10,085,479 10,208,206 9,965,787 9,207,469 
       Less:
          Allowance for credit losses 177,863 172,201 165,270 155,454 121,126 
                Net loans 9,744,303 9,913,278 10,042,936 9,810,333 9,086,343 
     Premises and equipment206,628 208,800 211,454 213,903 215,545 
     Goodwill 937,771 937,771 937,771 937,771 937,771 
     Other intangibles63,529 66,195 69,169 72,086 75,014 
     Accrued interest and other assets998,554 1,086,390 1,099,169 1,098,560 805,824 
       Total Assets$16,042,654 $16,030,986 $15,842,010 $15,710,204 $14,524,422 
LIABILITIES
     Deposits
       Interest-bearing demand$2,948,682 $2,812,748 $2,668,635 $2,602,917 $2,418,193 
       Savings3,815,314 3,547,179 3,342,514 3,173,274 2,976,518 
       Time1,767,826 1,844,379 2,015,933 2,619,038 2,196,080 
          Total interest-bearing deposits8,531,822 8,204,306 8,027,082 8,395,229 7,590,791 
       Noninterest-bearing3,840,046 3,720,417 3,535,432 3,335,866 2,643,240 
          Total deposits12,371,868 11,924,723 11,562,514 11,731,095 10,234,031 
     Federal funds purchased and securities sold
          under agreements to repurchase184,483 136,795 150,088 145,291 164,093 
     FHLB short-term borrowings67,222 7,937 30,868 548,183 1,189,765 
          Total short-term borrowings251,705 144,732 180,956 693,474 1,353,858 
     Long-term debt634,674 1,162,729 1,338,792 579,345 381,909 
       Total borrowed funds886,379 1,307,461 1,519,748 1,272,819 1,735,767 
     Accrued interest and other liabilities511,658 542,740 529,326 520,425 344,891 
       Total Liabilities13,769,905 13,774,924 13,611,588 13,524,339 12,314,689 
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
     Common stock1,636,884 1,638,032 1,636,107 1,634,405 1,638,851 
     Retained earnings726,351 703,257 679,980 658,312 660,108 
     Accumulated other comprehensive loss42,253 40,960 40,697 19,888 31,200 
     Treasury stock, at cost(132,739)(126,187)(126,362)(126,740)(120,426)
       Total Shareholders' Equity2,272,749 2,256,062 2,230,422 2,185,865 2,209,733 
       Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity$16,042,654 $16,030,986 $15,842,010 $15,710,204 $14,524,422 

5


FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP.
NET INTEREST MARGIN RATE/VOLUME ANALYSIS
(Dollars in thousands)
(Unaudited)
 Quarterly Averages
March 31, 2021December 31, 2020March 31, 2020 Linked Qtr. Income Variance Comparable Qtr. Income Variance
BalanceYieldBalanceYieldBalanceYieldRateVolumeTotalRateVolumeTotal
Earning assets
    Investments:
      Investment securities$3,782,993 2.54 %$3,403,839 2.71 %$3,115,723 3.04 %$(1,488)$1,897 $409 $(3,892)$3,955 $63 
      Interest-bearing deposits with other banks46,912 0.24 %143,884 0.15 %39,332 1.45 %33 (60)(27)(118)(114)
    Gross loans (1)
9,951,855 4.03 %10,127,881 4.18 %9,220,643 5.04 %(3,815)(3,987)(7,802)(23,094)6,250 (16,844)
       Total earning assets13,781,760 3.61 %13,675,604 3.77 %12,375,698 4.52 %(5,270)(2,150)(7,420)(27,104)10,209 (16,895)
Nonearning assets
    Allowance for credit losses(177,863)(172,201)(121,126)
    Cash and due from banks232,275 228,427 235,696 
    Accrued interest and other assets2,206,482 2,299,156 2,034,154 
       Total assets$16,042,654 $16,030,986 $14,524,422 
Interest-bearing liabilities
    Deposits:
      Interest-bearing demand$2,948,682 0.07 %$2,812,748 0.08 %$2,418,193 0.45 %
      Savings3,815,314 0.13 %3,547,179 0.15 %2,976,518 0.45 %
      Time1,767,826 0.60 %1,844,379 0.86 %2,196,080 1.88 %
    Total interest-bearing deposits8,531,822 0.21 %8,204,306 0.29 %7,590,791 0.86 %$(1,661)$74 $(1,587)$(12,467)$435 $(12,032)
    Borrowed funds
      Short-term borrowings251,705 0.11 %144,732 0.08 %1,353,858 1.51 %28 37 (4,723)(297)(5,020)
      Long-term debt634,674 2.77 %1,162,729 1.91 %381,909 3.96 %2,509 (3,782)(1,273)(1,134)1,697 563 
        Total borrowed funds886,379 2.01 %1,307,461 1.71 %1,735,767 2.05 %2,518 (3,754)(1,236)(5,857)1,400 (4,457)
       Total interest-bearing liabilities9,418,201 0.38 %9,511,767 0.48 %9,326,558 1.08 %857 (3,680)(2,823)(18,324)1,835 (16,489)
Noninterest-bearing liabilities
    Noninterest-bearing demand deposits3,840,046 3,720,417 2,643,240 
    Other liabilities511,658 542,740 344,891 
    Shareholders' equity2,272,749 2,256,062 2,209,733 
       Total liabilities & shareholders' equity$16,042,654 $16,030,986 $14,524,422 
Net interest income $113,876 $118,473 $114,282 $(6,127)$1,530 $(4,597)$(8,780)$8,374 $(406)
Net interest spread 3.23 %3.29 %3.44 %
Net interest margin 3.35 %3.45 %3.71 %
Tax equivalent adjustment0.05 %0.04 %0.06 %
Net interest margin (fully tax equivalent)3.40 %3.49 %3.77 %
(1) Loans held for sale and nonaccrual loans are included in gross loans.
6


FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP.
CREDIT QUALITY
(Dollars in thousands)
(Unaudited)
Mar. 31,Dec. 31,Sep. 30,June 30,Mar. 31,
20212020202020202020
ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSS ACTIVITY
Balance at beginning of period$175,679 $168,544 $158,661 $143,885 $57,650 
 Day one adoption impact of ASC 32661,505 
  Provision for credit losses3,450 13,758 15,299 17,859 23,880 
  Gross charge-offs
    Commercial and industrial7,910 1,505 1,467 1,282 1,091 
    Lease financing852 
    Construction real estate
    Commercial real estate1,250 6,270 3,789 2,037 
    Residential real estate203 22 148 115 
    Home equity611 386 460 428 267 
    Installment36 21 59 61 
    Credit card222 169 171 234 311 
      Total gross charge-offs 10,032 8,554 6,820 4,136 1,849 
  Recoveries
    Commercial and industrial337 367 265 275 2,000 
    Lease financing(6)
    Construction real estate14 
    Commercial real estate195 844 760 424 234 
    Residential real estate44 145 91 93 52 
    Home equity177 428 209 156 339 
    Installment34 65 35 27 31 
    Credit card39 85 38 64 43 
      Total recoveries826 1,931 1,404 1,053 2,699 
  Total net charge-offs9,206 6,623 5,416 3,083 (850)
Ending allowance for credit losses$169,923 $175,679 $168,544 $158,661 $143,885 
NET CHARGE-OFFS TO AVERAGE LOANS AND LEASES (ANNUALIZED)
  Commercial and industrial1.01 %0.14 %0.14 %0.13 %(0.15)%
  Lease financing0.00 %0.03 %4.29 %0.00 %0.00 %
  Construction real estate0.00 %0.00 %0.00 %(0.01)%0.00 %
  Commercial real estate0.10 %0.50 %0.28 %0.15 %(0.02)%
  Residential real estate(0.02)%0.02 %(0.03)%0.02 %0.02 %
  Home equity0.24 %(0.02)%0.13 %0.14 %(0.04)%
  Installment0.01 %(0.21)%0.12 %(0.10)%0.15 %
  Credit card1.59 %0.69 %1.16 %1.54 %2.15 %
     Total net charge-offs0.38 %0.26 %0.21 %0.12 %(0.04)%
COMPONENTS OF NONPERFORMING LOANS, NONPERFORMING ASSETS, AND UNDERPERFORMING ASSETS
  Nonaccrual loans (1)
    Commercial and industrial$24,941 $29,230 $34,686 $33,906 $21,126 
    Lease financing1,092 1,353 222 
    Construction real estate
    Commercial real estate44,514 34,682 24,521 14,002 10,050 
    Residential real estate11,359 11,601 12,104 12,813 11,163 
    Home equity4,286 5,076 5,374 5,604 5,821 
    Installment146 163 153 201 145 
      Nonaccrual loans85,246 80,752 77,930 67,879 48,527 
  Accruing troubled debt restructurings (TDRs)11,608 7,099 7,759 8,377 22,206 
     Total nonperforming loans96,854 87,851 85,689 76,256 70,733 
  Other real estate owned (OREO)854 1,287 1,643 1,872 1,467 
     Total nonperforming assets97,708 89,138 87,332 78,128 72,200 
  Accruing loans past due 90 days or more92 169 79 124 120 
     Total underperforming assets$97,800 $89,307 $87,411 $78,252 $72,320 
Total classified assets$196,782 $142,021 $134,002 $125,543 $124,510 
CREDIT QUALITY RATIOS
Allowance for credit losses to
     Nonaccrual loans199.33 %217.55 %216.28 %233.74 %296.51 %
     Nonperforming loans175.44 %199.97 %196.69 %208.06 %203.42 %
     Total ending loans1.71 %1.77 %1.65 %1.56 %1.55 %
Nonperforming loans to total loans0.97 %0.89 %0.84 %0.75 %0.76 %
Nonperforming assets to
     Ending loans, plus OREO0.98 %0.90 %0.86 %0.77 %0.78 %
     Total assets0.60 %0.56 %0.55 %0.49 %0.48 %
Nonperforming assets, excluding accruing TDRs to
     Ending loans, plus OREO0.87 %0.83 %0.78 %0.68 %0.54 %
     Total assets0.53 %0.51 %0.50 %0.44 %0.33 %
Classified assets to total assets1.22 %0.89 %0.84 %0.79 %0.83 %
(1) Nonaccrual loans include nonaccrual TDRs of $20.9 million, $14.7 million, $29.3 million, $32.7 million, and $18.4 million, as of March 31, 2021, December 31, 2020, September 30, 2020, June 30, 2020, and March 31, 2020, respectively.

7


FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP.
CAPITAL ADEQUACY
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)
Mar. 31,Dec. 31,Sep. 30,June 30,Mar. 31,
20212020202020202020
PER COMMON SHARE
Market Price
  High$26.40 $17.77 $15.15 $16.38 $25.52 
  Low$17.62 $12.07 $11.40 $11.52 $12.67 
  Close$24.00 $17.53 $12.01 $13.89 $14.91 
Average shares outstanding - basic96,873,940 97,253,787 97,247,080 97,220,748 97,736,690 
Average shares outstanding - diluted97,727,527 98,020,534 98,008,733 97,988,600 98,356,214 
Ending shares outstanding97,517,693 98,021,929 97,999,763 98,018,858 97,968,958 
Total shareholders' equity$2,258,942 $2,282,070 $2,247,815 $2,221,019 $2,179,383 
REGULATORY CAPITALPreliminary
Common equity tier 1 capital$1,334,882 $1,325,922 $1,293,716 $1,267,609 $1,243,152 
Common equity tier 1 capital ratio11.81 %11.82 %11.63 %11.49 %11.27 %
Tier 1 capital$1,377,892 $1,368,818 $1,336,497 $1,310,276 $1,285,705 
Tier 1 ratio12.19 %12.20 %12.02 %11.87 %11.66 %
Total capital$1,741,755 $1,744,802 $1,708,817 $1,676,532 $1,493,100 
Total capital ratio15.41 %15.55 %15.37 %15.19 %13.54 %
Total capital in excess of minimum requirement$554,834 $566,795 $541,263 $517,902 $335,229 
Total risk-weighted assets$11,304,012 $11,219,114 $11,119,560 $11,034,570 $11,027,347 
Leverage ratio9.34 %9.55 %9.55 %8.98 %9.49 %
OTHER CAPITAL RATIOS
Ending shareholders' equity to ending assets13.97 %14.29 %14.11 %13.99 %14.47 %
Ending tangible shareholders' equity to ending tangible assets8.22 %8.47 %8.25 %8.09 %8.25 %
Average shareholders' equity to average assets14.17 %14.07 %14.08 %13.91 %15.21 %
Average tangible shareholders' equity to average tangible assets8.38 %8.26 %8.18 %7.94 %8.79 %
REPURCHASE PROGRAM (1)
Shares repurchased840,115 880,000 
Average share repurchase price$21.40 N/AN/AN/A$18.96 
Total cost of shares repurchased$17,982 N/AN/AN/A$16,686 
(1) Represents share repurchases as part of publicly announced plans.
N/A = Not applicable
8